Massage-machine.



No. 718,766. PATBNTED JAN. 20, 1903.

T. D. INGRAM. I l MASSAGE MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED oo'r.14. 1902. Ho MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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No. 718,766. PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903. T D IN GRAM MASSAGE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001214, 1902.

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N0 MODEL.

lwe/Lfor? PATENTBD JAN. 2o, 1903.

T. D. INGRAM. MASSAGBMAGHINE. A PPLIQATION FILED 00114, 1902.

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PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903.

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MASSAGE MACHINE. v APPLIoATIoN HLM-00114, 19,02.

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Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE'.

MASSAGE-NIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,766, dated January20, 1903. Application filed October 14, 1902. Serial No. 127,307. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS D. INGRAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in'Massage-Machines; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates, primarily, to a machine to be used for givingmechanical massage, and, in effect, is designed to act in closeimitation of the manner of giving massage by the human hands. It has forits object the manipulation of the muscles and other soft tissues of thehuman body in a manner that will press onward toward the heart thecirculation of the-blood in the veins and capillaries and that will alsopress onward the iiow of the lymphatic fluids, thus allowing newarterial blood to enter the tissues and give them nutrition andrestoration.

The machine is intended to be held inthe hand, pressed against thesurface to be treated, and pushed in the direction of the venous currentand may be used by the person to be massaged or may be applied by anattendant. It may be applied to the legs, arms, face, scalp, or. otherparts of the body, as desired. The motive power is preferably securedthrough the medium of a liexible shaft which will admit of the machinebeing used in any position, the motion coming from an electric motor orother convenient source of power.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure ly represents a centrallongitudinal section and partial elevation of one form or modificationof my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 represents a top plan View of the crank-disk constituting one ofthe elements thereof. Fig. 4 represents a perspective View of saidmodification. Fig. 5 represents in side elevation and plan view one ofthe massaging pads or thumbs. Figs.6 and 7 represent, respectively,perspective viewsof additional modifications. Fig. S represents apartial sectional elevation of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 represents a perspectiveview of a further modification of the invention,

and Fig. 10 represents a partial sectional elevation thereof. Y

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout theseveral views.

In all the embodiments of my invention as they have been illustrated inthe drawings andas they will. be hereinafter more fully described thepurpose has been to provide a mechanism which will impart to leversacting in pairs and provided with padded thumblike ends rapidly-actingcompressing and relaxing movements, so that when the massaging-pads areapplied to various parts of the body the tissues shall receive asuccession of short compressions or blows so directed or exerted as toforce the venous blood to flow onward toward the heart.

In the first form or modification of the invention, as illustrated inFigs. l to fl, the soft tissues of the part to which it is applied arealternately compressed and relaxed in quick succession by four paddedthumbs of relatively large size, which actin pairs and which are somechanically contrived that while one pair of the thumb-like pads iscompressing the tissues of a part from opposite directions the otherpairof thumbs at right angles to the former is relaxing its hold and istaking position for another grip.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 of thedrawings, the mechanism by which thesemovements are secured in the first form or modification of the inventionconsists, primarily, of the revoluble shaft l, which is adapted to becoupled to the iieXible shaft 2, as shown, connecting it with the sourceof power. A crankdisk 3 on the free end of the shaft l is provided witha series of holes (see Fig. 3) admitting corresponding adjustments ofthe wrist-pin 4, so as to vary the throw of the pitman 5, which connectssaid wrist-pin with the plunger or piston 6, whose reciprocationsactuate the massaging pads or thumbs. The shaft l has its bearingswithin a sleeve 8, surrounded by a handle 9, of Wood or the like. To theupper screw-threaded endof the sleeve 8 is secured a casting 10, whichmay con-A veniently be provided with a projection for the attachment ofanother handle 11, so that either or both handles may be employed, as

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desired, according to the particular requirements of use. The casting 10is hollowed out to form a housing for the crank-disk and pitman, saidhousing being accessible through the sliding cover 12, pivoted to thecasting by the pin 13. The castingis also provided with a lateralextension 14, containing one of the bearings of the piston G, and whichis provided with a flange, as shown, for the attachment of the casing15, containing the other bearing for said piston. Spaced at equaldistances from each other about the piston 6 are the levers 16, pivotedto swing upon transverse pivot-pins spanning the slots 17 and passingthrough longitudinal slots in the casing 15. At their free ends (seeFig. 5) these levers are bent outwardly and are attached to the pads 18.The pads are also preferably covered (see, for instance, Figs. 1 to 4)with a supplemental elastic glove or jacket 19, of soft rubber, whichmay be replaced by another when for sanitary reasons it is desirable todo so. The levers 16, and consequently the massaging pads or thumbs, arethus arranged in pairs in planes transverse to each other. The membersof each pair are designed to approach each other during a correspondingmutual receding movement of the members of the other pair. This purposeis eected by connecting each pair with the piston 6 through theintermediacy of a pair of toggle-levers 20 and 21, respectively, saidpairs of toggle-levers being themselves located in planes transverse toeach other and being oppositely inclined with relation to the plunger orpiston, as indicated more fully in Fig. 1. The toggle-levers areattached to lugs upon the piston 6 and the levers 16, respectively, andare so placed that when the piston is at the extreme forward limit ofits throw the rear pair of levers shall assume a position substantiallyat right angles to the piston,whereas when the piston is at the extremerearward limit of its throw, the forward toggles assume a likeright-angle position with respect to the piston. As either pair oftoggles approaches the right-angle position the other pair approachescorrespondingly its angle of least amplitude. It will be apparent,therefore, that each reciprocation of the piston gives t0 the two pairsof levers and their thumb-like padded ends a compressing movement andrelaxing movement, alternating with each other. The purpose of soarranging these levers with their compressing thu mb-like pads in twopairs is not only that they thus exercise double the manipulating effectof one pair, but also that they provide a peculiar feature of safety inmanipulating smaller parts, such as the arms or the arms and legs ofsmaller persons. Inasmuch as one pair of the padded lever ends stands atright angles to the other pair, neither' pair can be placed upon a smalllimb or other part at right angles to the length of the limb or in sucha manner as would permit the muscular tissues to be injuriously pinchedor squeezed. Yet another Valuable function of this arrangement of fourpadded thumbs acting in pairs alternately is that it is necessary inapplying the compressing-pads to long muscles (for instance, muscles ofthe arms or legs) to so place them that they act obliquely with respectto the direction of the muscular fibers, and hence while they cannotpinch the muscle injuriously they do slightly twist or distort it fromits straight line, and this action is reversed in quick succession, sothat they thus most effectively press onward. the venous and capillarycirculations. This rst form or modification of the machine is especiallyadapted for manipulating parts of the face, the scalp, and small limbsor the smaller parts of large limbs. In this form or modification, asWell as in other forms or modifications wherein I employ a reciprocatingpiston with links attached to this piston and to the moving levers, Imay vary the throw of the pistou, and consequently the amplitude ofswing of the leverpads, by shifting the position of the wrist-pin 4 inthe crank-disk 3 of the revolving shaft, thereby giving the pitman andthe piston a shorter or a longer stroke. I may also secure a likeadjustment of throw or a variety of expansion positions of the leversand their thumbs by using links of different lengths or levers ofdifferent forms.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a modification wherein the alternatecompression and release of the tissues is elected through theinstrumentality of but two pads 22, mounted upon levers 23, operating inslots 24 of the stationary frame 25, said levers being connected by thetoggle-levers 26 to the reciprocating piston or plunger 27, whichreceives its movement from the pitman 28 and the crank 29 of the rotaryshaft 1. So, also, in the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 a likemovement of the pads 29 and levers 30 is obtained through theinstrumentality of the eccentrics 3l and eccentric-straps 32, connectedto said levers and actuated by the shaft 1. The forms or modificationscarrying this single pair of broader pads is especially designed for useupon the legs and the larger parts of the arms and, in general, uponvarious parts of the body where a larger grasp is needed. Moreover, inthese instances I prefer to make the spring metal of the levers heavierand to so arrange each of the broad pads that it will stand at a slightangle with the line of the limb to which the pads are to be applied.This angle should be somewhat greater than would make the two pads fitthe natural taper of the limb, the purpose being to so arrange that incompressing the tissues the padmargins acting farthest down the limbwill compress first and more firmly than those parts acting above,thereby more efectively urging the venous blood toward the heart.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I illustrate another form IOO or modification of themachine, likewise designed to operate upon the larger parts of the body.The rotatory shaft l in this machine is provided with a series ofeccentrics 33, connected by eccentric-straps 34 to the swinging levers35, said levers bearing at their free ends the pads 36 and being pivotedat their opposite ends to bracket-lugs 37, projecting from the casing38. It will be particularly noted that thelevers 35 are ofsuccessivelyincreasing length from the lower pair to the upper pair ofthe series, whereas the points of attachment of the toggles thereto arein the same vertical plane. The effect of this disposition of parts isto give a decidedly increased range of movement to the lowest pair ofpads, which are designed to act upon the lowermost part of the region towhich the machine is for the moment being applied, and to give agraduated decreasing range of movement to the successive upper pairs ofpads. It is apparent that this same result may be attained by otherrelative adjustments of the moving parts.

While the details of the various forms or modifications of my inventiondiffer, it will be observed that they all possess the maindistinguishing characteristic that they secure by mechanicalcontrivances a succession of rapidly compressing and relaxing movements,serving as short quick blows to the tissues, so directed that theirtendency will be to drive or push the blood in the venous system onwardtoward the heart, together with the lymphatic fluids of the part actedupon, thus promoting the more active circulation of new arterial bloodin the partsv so manipulated. S0 far as I am aware a machine effectingthis result is new in the art, and I desire, therefore, that my broadclaims be given a correspending interpretation commensurate with thisgeneric feature of novelty.

In designing the thumb-likel pads, and in the larger ,machine the largerfinger -like pads, I have aimed to use such shapes or contours of theapplying surfaces as will best fit the various parts of the body towhich the machine is adapted and have arranged these pads upon springylevers, so that they will still better apply themselves when pressedupon the tissues. In constructing these padded appliances I have adoptedcork of" considerable thickness as the most resilient substance and asless liable to bruise the body than rubber, the rubber covering beingstretched over the cork for cleanliness; but in order to insure absolutecleanliness in its use I recommend that separate sets of thumb stalls orcoverings be provided, made of rubber or of chamois, and that these besubstituted Whenever a new patient shall make use of the machine. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure'by Letters Patent, is

1. A massage-machine, comprising oppositely-disposed massage-pads, andmechanism for causing said pads to move toward and from each other;substantially as described.

2. A massagemachine, comprising oppositely-disposed massage-pads,pivoted arms upon which said pads are mounted, and mechanismintermediate of the arms to cause them to move toward and from eachother; substantially as described.

3. A massagemachine, comprising oppositely-disposed massage-pads,pivoted arms upon which said pads are mounted, and a mechanismintermediate of the arms and connected thereto by means of links tocause them to move toward and from each other; substantially asdescribed.

4. A massage-machine, comprising oppositely-disposed massage-pads,pivoted arms upon Which said pads are mounted, and a mechanismintermediate of the arms and connected thereto by means of links atpoints between the pads and the pivotal centers of the arms so as tocause them to move toward and from each other 5 substantially asdescribed.

5. A massage-machine, comprising oppositely-disposed massage-pads,pivoted arms upon which said pads are so mounted as to inclinerearwardly from a vertical plane, and mechanism for causing the pads andarms to move toward and from each other; substantially as described.

6. A massage-machine, comprising oppositely-disposed massage-pads,mechanism for causing said pads to move toward and from eachother, aportable housing for said mechanism, and a handle or handles formanipulating the machine and graduating the pressn re to be applied tothe surface treated, substantially as described.

7. A massage-machine, comprising oppositely-disposed massage-pads, arotatory shaft having a coupling for attachment to and detachment from aflexible shaft, a handle Within which said shaft is journaled, andconnec` tionsl intermediate of the shaft and pads for causing the latterto move toward and from each other; substantially as described.

8. A massage-machine, comprising a plurality of pairs ofoppositely-disposed massagepads, and mechanism for causing the pads ofeach pair to move toward and from each other;

substantially as described.

, 9. A massage-machine, comprising a plurality of pairs ofoppositely-disposed massagepads, and mechanismfor causing'the pads ofone pair to move toward each other, while causing the pads of the otherpair to move from each other; substantially as described.

10. A massage-machine, comprising a plurality of pairs ofoppositely-disposed massagepads, and mechanism for causing the pads ofone pair to move toward each other, while IOO IIO

causing the pads of the other pair to move from each other, saidmechanism comprising a reciprocating plunger and intermediate pairs ofconnecting-links inclined in opposite directions With respect to theplunger; sub- In testimony whereof I afx my signature stantially asdescribed. in presence of two Witnesses.

11. A massage-machine, comprisingr oppo- THOMAS D INGRAM sitely-dsposedmassage-pads, a reciprocating 5 plunger, and toggle-links fortransmitting a Witnesses:

contracting and expanding motion to said EDWIN S. CLARKSON, pads;substantially as described. CHAS. J. ONEILL.

